LAYERS OF VALUE

What about Species Credits?

Creating or preserving habitat for certain protected and endangered species allows for the generation of species credits. Much like wetland and stream credits companies impacting the habitat of these species must mitigate that impact and purchasing credits is often the most practical and cost-effective way to do that.

What is the demand for credits?

The national market for stream and wetland credits has experienced significant growth since 2000, with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval of new mitigation banks and credit releases increasing substantially following favorable regulatory changes and release of the 208 Mitigation Rule (2008 Rule).

The carbon market has both compliance and voluntary segments. The largest compliance market in the U.S. in in California. On the voluntary side public companies have found that improving their carbon footprint has a significant, positive impact on their stock performance because many large funds have investment criteria requiring a percentage of their portfolios to be “green”.

What is Mitigation Banking?

It is a system of credits and debits devised to ensure that ecological loss, especially to wetlands and streams resulting from various development works, is compensated for by restoration and preservation of wetlands, natural habitats, streams, etc. in other area so that there is no net loss to the environment.

Layers of Value

​

Why Wetland and Stream Credits?

The Clean Water Act creates a strong market for wetland and stream credits. Entities who work impacts a wetland or waterway are required to mitigate their impact – buying approved wetland and stream credits are one way to satisfy the requirement.

​

Why Carbon Credits?

Excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is the leading cause of climate change. Industries whose work creates significant carbon dioxide emissions are compelled, by both regulation and voluntary compliance, to mitigate their emissions. Most companies cannot achieve their emissions goals through reductions alone. Carbon Offset Credits allow them to fill that gap and fuel conservation at the same time.